The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-05
ENGLAND's MERIT SYSTEM.
How the Civil Service Is Managed in tha
Country.

How the Civil Service Is Managed in that
Country.
WASHINGTON, Nov. s4-Sir Lyon Playfair,
who visited the capital a member of the
British delegation to ask the Presidents good
Offices in behalf Of international arbitration as
substitute for war. has given q long and inter
estne account of the origin, development and
condition OF the civil-service system in England.
The ''merit" system was first applied to the In
dian service in 1855, but in 1870, as it had sue
ceeded so well in that service, it was introduced
into nearly every department of the service.
Open competition is the doorway to all places
except those to which the holder is appointed
directly by the crown, and all the
higher situations, which are filed in the Gus
tomary course of promotion of persons serving
in the same department., also excepted.
There are also situations requiring special pro-
fessional qualifications which excepted from
competition, and are filled by the lords of the
treasury in conjunction with the chief of the de-
partment to which they belong. After giving
many instructive details about classifcatons,
salaries. promotions and requirements of appli-
cants. ne adds that between 2. 900 and 3, 900 ap-
pointments are made annually under the com
petitive system. and expresses surprise TO iud
that there had been so few appoin rments under
the system here.
You still" he said "seem to appoint Fifty by
nomination for one by competition. In England
1t is just the reverse. Most of the appoint
In6utS mauo uUuer Inc cCmpStltIV6 system or
England are made in the clerkships. I have al
ready mentioned outdoor officers of customs and
assistants the excise The postal telegraph
is another branch of the service that absorbs
great many candidates both male and female.
We have no married women In any branch of
pu bile service. When woman in the service
gets married she must resign"
'But isn't it fact that there are still many
Offices in the English civil service which can be
reached only through official influenced"
"Yes, there are three classes of Offices that are
not open to public competition, and to obtain
which influence. direct indirect, is indispen-
sable. There are situations filled by limited
competition among candidates nominated By
heads of departments to which they belong, and
there are situations filled by nomination. subject
to a qualifying examination only, and then there
are all the higher aud professional Offices which
are exempted from competition But. gener-
ally speaking, open competition is now the gate
way to the English civil service. There is no
farm laborer or hod-carrier in England so lowly
wanting in influence that his son, il edu-
Gated TO stand the test, may not pass into the
service of his country ahead of nobility's off
spring. And it is admitted on all hands that
there never was a higher standard of educational
character generally, and of practical efficiency
than at the present time"
t'You think the country is well served. and
the personnel of the service heightened as
when the common people were excluded"
The public service has been immensely i'm
common people. By open composition get the
best. The fttess survive the ordeal. I am sur
prised that the principle OF free, open competi-
ton, as against the principle of personal infiu-
ence, could meet with any opposition in free
and democratic republic like America 1 think
grow in popularity in this country, and be ex-
tended in its application"